Want the Democratic Party to Change?

[MineralMan]

Get involved with it. Become active in your own local, district and state Democratic Party organization. Work your way up to leadership positions. Make your positions clear and build support for them. Help select candidates. Become a delegate to nominating and endorsing conventions. If you're waiting for someone else to change the party, you may be waiting for a very long time. Instead, do this:

Become the Democratic Party and Make it Yours!

It's that freaking simple.

[Proud Public Servant]

1. Agree 100%

And working in DC (where the party is slowly changing) toward that end. Wish it had more relevance nationally, but I can't change that...

[MineralMan]

2. One great trend I've noticed in my own local party organization

is an upswing in the number of young people showing up at the caucuses and becoming delegates to the local district conventions. It's making a difference. The leadership, too, is getting younger, as the old guard retires from leadership positions and new people are getting elected to committees and other leadership positions.

The more who show up, the more the party reflects the views of Democrats. Sadly, there are still too few who show up and participate. That is how you change the party. You show up.

We have precinct level caucus meetings every two years. In 2014, there were only four people at our precinct's caucus. We could have sent 16 delegates to the district convention. We only had four. And that was twice as many as some other precincts sent to the convention.

People don't seem to realize how few people are involved in the Democratic Party organization. As an individual, it's surprising how much influence you can have at the local level. My own activities have let me speak individually to every candidate on my ballot, including the Governor and both Senators. They show up at the conventions and all are happy to be buttonholed for a conversation at those events.

If people aren't involved, they have no say. If they are involved, they can say a lot.

[riqster]

3. Simple does not mean "easy". I agree with you 100%, but people have to expect to sweat.

I certainly do: Ohio is a right mess at present, and there is a LOT to do here.

Keep the faith!

[MineralMan]

5. No, it's not easy. Nothing worthwhile is easy.

If you want to make yourself heard and influence others, you have to do the work. But it all starts by showing up and participating. I remember my first district convention. I didn't have much to say. Then I figured out that I was there for a reason, and started becoming more and more active. You do have to learn how the system operates, but that's easy. Once you know, then you can begin making your ideas heard. Those who speak up are the ones who get things done.

[Cosmic Kitten]

35. worthwhile things can be easy.

Hi, MineralMan
I'm a noobie so please be gentle...

I agree that people need to make
the groups they align with "their own".
Speak up, get involved.
Which is why I finally signed up for DU

But lots of worthwhile things are EASY.
They just don't always bring immediate gratification.
I guess it's just the "saying" or thinking that worthwhile things
are or should be difficult and possibly frustrating creates
the impression that it will be unenjoyable.
Kinda like, "you get what you pay for", which is rarely accurate.

Gettting involved, making a differance, and taking ownership
can be fun, rewarding and pleasant. It's just how we frame the issue.

[MineralMan]

36. It is easy, because it's so rewarding.

Some of the best people I know are ones I've met doing political work. They're serious, smart, and willing to share their time. Great folks.

Thanks for your reply.

[MineralMan]

8. My involvement grew fast as soon as I asked someone,

"How can I help?" There's always something that needs to be done, and doing it lets you meet and talk to more and more people.

[Peacetrain]

4. Absolutely!!

Changing the party dynamics is so much more than electing one or two people at the top of the ticket.. that to me is the least important thing going..

Its the down ballot candidates that will in the end give the party its shape.. and form.. thousands of offices across this country need to be filled with people, and if someone does not care for how they think the party is going.. they need to step up, roll up their sleeves.. run for office or encourage like minded candidates to run..and dig in with them to get them elected..

Get involved with politics on the state level.. go to the local meetings, and get on the platform committees...

But I have to add this.. from my perspective.. we cannot just dismiss people as less than because they have more moderate views.. We have a party platform.. and if someone is willing to work for that platform... I am not going to dismiss them as less than me..

I get very nervous about the "purge" the party sentiment..

We are a big tent party..

[MineralMan]

6. Thanks for the reply.

You're right. When you get involved, you'll run into all sorts of people with all sorts of ideas. You have to listen as much as you speak. Hotheads don't do well. But, if you're willing to participate, it's a breeze to get on those committees and other positions at the district or county level. Your voice will be heard, but you do have to be there or nobody will hear you at all.

[Peacetrain]

7. Yep..you have to show up!

[1StrongBlackMan]

19. +1 eom.

[mmonk]

9. National candidates seldom to never

pay attention to any of the progressive positions we hammer out at our state conventions.

[MineralMan]

10. Are you talking about Congressional representatives?

I haven't found that to be the case at all. Even Senatorial candidates need the convention's endorsement or selection. I'm not as involved in the state party, since it's usually difficult for me to get away for two days for the convention. Most of what I do is at the district level, up to the Congressional District.

Our congresswoman is there at the district convention and she's more than willing to listen to any delegate who wants some time with her. She also shows up at other events and conventions. She pays attention, too. She needs our endorsement and works to earn it.

It may be different where you are. I don't know. In Minnesota, party politics at the Congressional district and below are very important to the candidates. They work hard for that endorsement. And then they follow through, because they have to get it again before too long.

[jeff47]

12. Where do those national candidates come from?

They don't appear from the aether. National candidates were once local candidates.

They pay attention to the issues that got them elected as local candidates. So change those issues.

[mmonk]

13. It's too late now with just tinkering

inside parties. Everyone needs to face the reality that it takes movement politics now.

[jeff47]

14. Which act through..........

The local party apparatus.

It's not going to fix the party quickly. It's going to take a while. But it took us 30 years to get into this situation, it's not going to take 2 years to get out of it.

[MineralMan]

17. You go ahead with your "movement politics."

I'll be working on a whole line of candidates, right up to the level of Senator. If you think that doesn't make a difference, you're so far wrong you're not even in the same conversation.

Movement politics is about tone. It's not about individual candidates. You go ahead with that. It's important to some degree, but it won't change how people get elected to office, and isn't powerful enough to change how our government operates. I'm interested in real effects on real situations.

[zipplewrath]

11. And then a former first lady shows up....

I'd believe you, but I just lived through the democratic party in my state putting a former GOP governor on their ticket. You think that idea came from any grass roots? You think that happen because some local DNC volunteer begged them to run a tan with name recognition?

You think the locals working at the grass roots level went out and found Hillary to run for Senator of New York?

You think some volunteer in Poughkeepsie, Illinois went around trying to get Obama on the ballot?

These people get where they are because the moneyed interests put them there. John Morgan had way more to do with Crist being on the ballot than anything else. The Kennedy clan had the most to do with Obama.

These people lead the party, the get the elected leaders elected, and those elected leaders become the "defacto leaders of the party". And their staffs end up coming back to states and becoming the senators, congressmen, and future national candidates.

The system is stacked against us and all they want from us is our money and our votes, and mostly our votes.

[MineralMan]

15. I have no influence on presidential candidate selection.

Not a whit. My interest is in influencing local, state, and legislative politics. And, whether you believe it or not, those have more to do with how things are run than the President anyhow. I can influence who runs for Congress. I can influence who runs for my state legislature, and I can sure as hell influence who runs for city and county government. I can even influence Senatorial candidates to some degree. I've met Al Franken four or five times and have had conversations with him. He has to run in Minnesota, so he's been available.

If the only political position that concerns you is the President, you're not going to have any influence at all in that, except for your vote in the primary and general election. It's just not possible. If you could influence that, I guarantee you wouldn't be writing on DU.

[MineralMan]

21. You know, the thing is that those who choose candidates for Governor

all started out being local party volunteers. They did that many years ago, of course. The leaders of the party weren't born in those positions. They got into them through a lot of work and time. More than I'm willing to spend, for sure. That's why my activism is local, rather than even statewide. In Minnesota, our Governor came up through the ranks of lower offices, just like almost every Governor does. And during that process, he had to convince a lot of local party members that he should be supported for all those lower offices.

Even President Obama started out as a community organizer. He wasn't born President. Everyone in power started somewhere. Some President down the road might be some 23 year old guy in Minnesota who will run for some minor office in my state in the next election. I don't know. I might not even recognize that person as someone who will eventually be someone important. But, if he has the right ideas, I'll be there to help him get elected to that first office. So will the other low-level Democratic Party folks who show up to do the work of keeping the party functioning.

I can assure you of one thing, though: If you aren't active, you won't have any influence at all. That I can guarantee.

[zipplewrath]

75. So you would have had something to do with Crist?

You really think that someone like you is the reason that Crist was the DEMOCRATIC nominee?
You think he went around working local democratic committees looking for support for the DEMOCRATIC nomination? You think Hilary did? You do realize that the KOCK brothers for good god's sake were some of the Clinton's and the DLC's earliest supporters. You think the Kock brothers gave one hoot about what some local democratic organizer thought/wanted/did?

And do you know who was one of Obama's earliest organized supporters? The friggin' teachers union. Ain't that a hoot? You think when he appointed Duncan he was thinking "well, I've worked with the teachers union all these years and they helped me get here..."

We had a primary here for governor and the democratic party wouldn't even ACKNOWLEDGE that Crist had an opponent.

Save me your "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" crap. As soon as they get to the point of even being CONSIDERED for national positions, they get dragged into the rooms by the power brokers and told how the system works and they either work with it, or lose. And to a great extent, a very great extent, it's true. Warren is currently fighting against it, and we'll see how soon she gets a committee position, or a cabinet post. And we'll see if she has to fall in line to do it.

George W wasn't president because of all of his hard work with the local GOP committees. Neither was his father. Clinton's legacy was built by the DLC and Koch brothers. Yes, I'm sure at an early stage he worked the local parties and built a constituency among them, but at some point they were yesterday's news and it was his national connections, not local, that move him on.

You have to go back to Carter to get to anyone that arrive in Washington, and survived on the national stage that never "drank the juice". And they took him down.

[MineralMan]

79. No. I'm not in Florida. I had nothing to do with

Governor Dayton here in MN, either. As I said, my focus is on lower level candidates, up to House members. Beyond that, I'm not involved.

Your anger is misdirected. I'm not the enemy. Not in any way.

[zipplewrath]

83. I'm not angry at you

I'm just disputing that working at the lower levels has squat to do with influencing what goes on at the national level. That's a whole different game and you and I don't get to play.

[MineralMan]

86. If you actually took the time to read what I wrote,

You'd know that I'm talking about lower level offices. I don't think I have any influence whatever beyond House members, and not much for them. My congresswoman knows me by name, and we chat a couple of times a year. She knows that I'm a supporter and active in her district. She seems to be glad about that.

I've also had conversations with Al Franken, but I have no illusions about having anything to do with his election other than encouraging voters in my precinct to turn out to vote.

[zipplewrath]

89. And I had a direct line to a Mass congress critter

I made a few attempts to have some sort of influence. I got told basically "you're too little" several times.

You can discuss the local level all you want, but this was a national election and your comments were made in that context. And those local members who influence who gets elected at the national level, aren't responding to their local constituencies, they are responding to the state level and federal level contacts. In their local jobs, they'll respond, but upwards, they respond to a higher constituency.

[MineralMan]

91. This was far more than a national election.

Every election is. My ballot had just two national races. One congressional seat and one Senator. It also had every elected state official, our state house member , two state Supreme court justices, and more. Every race on my ballot was won by a Democrat. Every one.

I work at the local and state level to help elect progressives. And that's who got elected. Along with those, we elected Al Franken and Betty McCollum. If you have a problem with them, I don't know what to say to you.

I'm trying to make the party more progressive. So far that's working where I am. If you have problem with that, I don't know what to say to you. I live here. I work here. That is what I can do.

This thread suggests that others work where they are. You have a problem with that?

[zipplewrath]

92. I've got a problem with you lecturing me about Florida

Go back and look at Florida and your post and tell me what one has to do with the other. And tell me exactly what it has to do with the Senate being lost, Obama being more conservative than Eisenhower, or Hilary's up coming coronation. I'm glad you live in a relatively progressive state that can get relatively progressive candidates elected to national office. But YOU didn't get them elected. I'm glad you voted for them, but Al didn't need you, he didn't come looking for your support. He built his support, and it didn't start with you, it ended with you after he obtained the support of the primary party leaders, including people who have no formal titles.

And just to be clear, the rooster isn't the reason the sun rises either.

[1StrongBlackMan]

24. "a tan with name recognition"? ...

Please tell me I misread that!

[bravenak]

28. I am trying to figure that one out too.

I am hoping they mean a Paper Politician.

[1StrongBlackMan]

46. Or, maybe ...

he/she was referring to this guy:

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQAtOvm3KNFREZbHsZS4BjLcaarAbS0ZaStBKOkJkjo4RZIdwH0

[bravenak]

55. LOL!!

You crazy!!

[1StrongBlackMan]

58. Gotta laugh ...

when true colors show through.

[bravenak]

59. It has been a funny couple of days, man.

I think you predicted this outcome a few months back. I did too. Oh, well.

[1StrongBlackMan]

61. But I'm wrong in my assessment ...

every time ... so, I am told.

[bravenak]

65. And you make DU suck.

Never forget that. Probably your fault we lost.

[steve2470]

38. Charlie Crist nt

[LeftInTX]

67. LOL

Or even John Boehner

[MineralMan]

52. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt and assuming a typo, there.

I hope I'm right about that.

[1StrongBlackMan]

56. I have said, on more than one occasion ...

you are far too generous.

I read that, and the lack of a retraction/correction/walk back, as him/her saying exactly what he/she meant ... well, not exactly ... I suspect that in his/her head, he/she had a different word in mind.

[m-lekktor]

62. oh for chrissake he is referring to CHarlie CHrist!

You should read things in context, a former GOP governor etc. read what was written before the tan comment!...Of course if you read the context you would have missed out on being able to imply RACISM!!

[1StrongBlackMan]

71. Sorry ...

I just find that a curious turn of phrase, regardless of context.

Maybe I just hyper-sensitive because ... well ... I'm Black and ALWAYS looking for an opportunity to play the race card.

[zipplewrath]

85. Whe he was a GOP governor

When he was a GOP governor, the democrats used to consistently talk about what an empty shirt he was and how his primary concern was maintaining his tan. He was all about image and nothing about substance.

Theoretically all that was water under the bridge when he decided to become a democrat, without changing a single position of his.

But hey, go looking for some sort of racial context in any absence of knowledge about the subject.

[1StrongBlackMan]

90. See the comment you responded to. eom.

[zipplewrath]

93. I did

I picked that one specifically.

You obviously don't believe me.

[1StrongBlackMan]

96. You don't find that particular phrasing ... curious? eom.

[zipplewrath]

109. Not at all

Not having lived through is gubernatorial period. You can't believe what kind of tan the guy maintained year round. Democrats CONSTANTLY made fun of him about it. He is SUCH an empty shirt. He was the George Hamilton of politics. I'm sorry you see race in everything.

[1StrongBlackMan]

112. Okay ...

I'm sorry you see race in everything.

Not everything ... just in comments referencing color in a derogatory way.

Gee ... I wonder why that might be?

[zipplewrath]

120. Ignorance?

I presume you put no effort into understanding prior to making your comment.

[1StrongBlackMan]

121. Okay. Done!

[LeftInTX]

32. Julian Castro was my City Council member

The guy who shows up at the local parks planning meeting, oak wilt meetings, water conservation meetings, this intersection needs a traffic light meetings, there are too many stray dogs meetings, and HOA meetings etc. etc.

(He was qualified for more than city council, but he had to start somewhere)

He was the keynote speaker at the Democratic convention.

[MineralMan]

64. That's an excellent example of what I'm saying.

Everyone starts out at the bottom in politics. A few rise to the top. We never know which ones they'll be.

Thanks!

[Chathamization]

74. Crist won a primary where only 18% of registered Democrats even bothered showing up. If people there

didn't like him, they should have voted for someone else, and if they didn't like others who were running, they should have tried to draft someone (or perhaps, worked to get better candidates at the local level who would jump into the race). Complain about party insiders all you want, but when 82% of Democrats don't even bother showing up, they've placed their vote for "I don't care one way or another, whoever you guys pick is mine."

That's not even including the 23% of Floridians who have decided that they don't want the ability to vote in either primary. Yes, when you don't bother voting, you end up getting ignored, and your preferences don't get recorded. That shouldn't surprise anyone.

[zipplewrath]

94. Sure blame the victim

It was darn hard to figure out that there WAS another candidate. You can't believe how hard the Florida Party tried to avoid her very existence.

[Chathamization]

97. What? Asking people to spend 5 minutes looking at who's on the ballot and showing up and voting is

blaming the victim now? Really, if you're saying the electorate is too lazy and apathetic to even do a quick web search on the most visible race on the ballot, then party leaders should be the least of your concerns.

[brooklynite]

16. Can't I just write another blog post about how the Party doesn't represent me?

Your way sounds hard.....

[MineralMan]

18. You sure can. In fact, I encourage you to.

But, the few people who read it won't have any influence on anything unless they're part of the process.

It isn't really hard to get involved in the political process. It takes some time, of course, but it's not hard. It's interesting. You get to meet a lot of people for whom politics is important. You'll make some new friends, for sure. That's not hard.

[JustAnotherGen]

57. Following up on brooklynite's post

You mean - I can't just post on Facebook and Twitter?

I have to go outside in the rain and knock on doors?

[MineralMan]

63. Well, it doesn't rain ALL the time.

Actually, social media can be a powerful GOTV method, if there's something to talk about that will work. I'm not sure there was for the 2014 election. There were lots of problems that affect people, but few solutions anyone could see. I think that hurt turnout a lot.

What I saw on social media was a lot of complaints, but few solutions offered. That's too bad, because the folks who rely on social media for information didn't get the information needed to get them fired up to vote. I'm not sure what that information would have been, frankly, this year. Things are slowly improving, but nothing dramatic is in the cards right now.

People vote for solutions to problems. If there are just problems, but no solutions, it's hard to get people to the polls.

[JustAnotherGen]

66. ITA on this . . .

What I saw on social media was a lot of complaints, but few solutions offered.

So I belong to two facebook groups for my borough. And reading through the political posts there really ARMED me with the information to knock on doors. I had an idea about the person before I came to their door and it enable me to post to this groups -

Hi! I'm so and so. My husband and I were the dummies that were just stupid enough to buy Walter Foran's old house (for non New Jerseyans his father, he big politicians - from days past). We've been really busy renovating the inside and promise to give it back its curbside appeal next summer. Right now - we are in rest mode after our first marathon with this house - so I will be out this weekend knocking on doors and brainstorming about what we can do to make Flemington, Hunterdon County and New Jersey better. So that's me knocking.


I knocked on not only Democrats doors (my list) but Republican doors as well. We had a late entry Democratic Council candidate and an Independent Mayoral Candidate who popped up. We came really really close for our council candidate - and for the Mayor -

WE made a change. Not HIM. WE did that.

I was probably a little less upset than a lot of people on Tuesday night because well - in my community - I'm going to have an awesome Mayor and well - Booker is Booker.

And yep - the last Saturday - it was cold and raining. But it's those lean Republicans I was hitting up the second time that I KNOW turned against the current mayor. The water/sewer rates alone did it for them. When our new Mayor was the Republican Mayor - they were low. As the independent who is disgusted with the Republican party - he's gonna do it again.

[greatauntoftriplets]

20. Tip O'Neill was right.

"All politics is local". K&R.

[MineralMan]

23. He was. It is.

Every powerful person in politics started out somewhere. A few of the people I'm helping to get elected to little offices will have national name recognition at some point. Just a few. But I will have helped them at the beginning.

[leftieNanner]

22. Thanks for the encouragement, MM

I've been getting our local Democratic Committee emails, and I've been toying with the idea of getting involved. It's so easy to say "but I'm so busy..." - even though I am. But this election has pushed me over the edge. I'm a passionate progressive Democrat and I want to have a say in our elections. One of our county commissioner's positions didn't have a democratic candidate in the primary, so the RWNJ had people write her in as the democrat. She was listed on the ballot as both R and D. She's nuts. And now she's our county commissioner. All politics is local.

[MineralMan]

26. You can spend as little or as much time as you can spare.

If you're like me, though, you'll find it very interesting to be involved on the local level. Lots of interesting people to talk to and the process is interesting, too. Once you take the first step, you may find yourself more and more involved over time. The level of involvement is completely up to you.

[whatchamacallit]

25. Oh brother...

How many among us have the time or opportunity to "work our way up to leadership positions"? Even if you could undertake that "freaking simple" (lol) mission, the notion that the entrenched powers that run the party apparatus would be amenable to you pulling the party left, is naive at best.

[MineralMan]

29. I don't know. It depends what you think a "leadership position" is.

I'm a precinct chair and a delegate to the conventions in Minnesota. That's about all I want to be. I could be on some of the committees, if I wanted to, just by saying I'd be glad to do that. I could probably get elected to the state Senate district board of directors, if I wanted to. I've been asked to put my name forward by a couple of current directors.

How did that happen? Well, being a precinct chair is a matter of being willing to do it. Lots of local precincts don't even have one. Being a delegate to the conventions here in Minnesota is simply a matter of showing up at the precinct-level caucus. Our precinct can send 16 delegates to the district convention, but not that many people bother to show up at the caucus, so everyone who does can be a delegate. From there, you have to be elected to be a delegate to the Congressional District convention and the state convention. That's pretty easy, too, if you want to do that. I've been to both conventions.

As for pulling the party to the left, well, we got rid of our state Senator after one term because he voted one time with Republicans on a labor issue. At the 2012 Senate District convention, we caucused for other candidates and refused to endorse him for another term. That cause him to withdraw from the race. Instead, a very progressive Hmong immigrant is now our state Senator. He's a very strong labor supporter and supports progressive causes in every area. I caucused for him at our district convention and helped oust the sitting state Senator.

Do I have anything to do with who is President? Nope. I'm happy to be part of the process for a big range of other candidates, though. They're the ones who actually affect my life and the lives of my neighbors. Not enough to suit you? Well, then I'm not talking to you.

[whatchamacallit]

70. Fair enough

The effort is worthy. Freaking simple, maybe not...

[MineralMan]

72. Simpler than you think, really.

If you go and you're willing, you'll get more to do. Bottom line is that not many people are willing to do much, even those who make the effort to show up. There are tons of leadership positions, and most of them are filled by people who had to be buttonholed into taking on the position.

Moving up through the hierarchy of most Democratic organizations on the local level is mostly just a matter of being willing to take on whatever responsibilities go with a position. There are always open positions. Always. In Minnesota, they get filled at the various conventions for different districts. There's always an election for the open spots. Often, someone has to go around and convince someone to put their name up. If someone does, they get elected.

The only leadership positions that are difficult to get are chairperson positions. If you aspire to one of those, you'll have to fill some lower-level posts for a while. Eventually whoever is the chairperson will decide to hand the job off. When that happens, again, whoever is willing and capable and who is already part of the leadership will get the job. I've never seen more than one person run for any position, other than for entry level committee positions. For those, there are usually a couple more people willing than there are openings. People can nominate themselves from the floor for any open seat. The committee positions give you an automatic delegate position at the Congressional District convention, so people like those, so they don't have to bother running for a delegate spot. They don't involve much work, so they're easy to fill.

Above those spots, though, there's work to be done, and that limits the interest. It's a club, really. Those who are willing to lead get to lead. So, yes, it is simple. At least in Minnesota it is.

[FSogol]

31. Then what is your solution? Besides sowing discord and whining?

It is unf'ing believable that someone would criticize helping out at their local Democratic party HQ.

[MineralMan]

42. Someone upthread recommended "movement politics."

While Occupy and other movements do some good, they do nothing to get progressives elected to office. Working within the party does. Elsewhere in this thread, I described again how our local state senate district convention ousted a sitting state senator for voting once with Republicans on a labor issue.

He's been replaced with a solid progressive who votes with labor. That's actual results. That is action that will affect the course of events. I'd much rather have done that than carried a sign, and I've done plenty of that, too.

[FSogol]

43. My question was aimed at the guy poo-pooing working on the local level.

Why anyone claiming to be interested in politics would disdain working for the party at the State or Local level is beyond me.

[MineralMan]

50. Sounds to me like someone who has no interest in actually

working on making change. That's what I think. So, it's easier to diminish those who are doing that than to actually do something. That's the reaction I have to posts like that.

[FSogol]

53. Same here. Folks like that are just here to complain. n/t

[BubbaFett]

113. I have to spend at least 60 hours per week

to "put food on my family."

[KingCharlemagne]

27. Excellent advice. If your available time is limited, find a candidate or cause you

like and simply volunteer to do some precinct-walking and\or phone banking. The emotional and intellectual validation you'll get from your fellow volunteers\acitivsts will more than pay you back for the time you're spending.

Full disclosure: walked precincts for Jesse Jackson in 1988 primary, Dukakis in 1988 general. Jackson in 1992, Clinton in 1992 general all in Madison, WI. Moved to California in 1994 and didn't get involved out here until after 2001 when I started volunteering for Marcy Winograd's insurgent primary campaigns against Jane Harmon in 2004 and '06. And so on and so forth. Even when your candidate or cause loses, it's still worth it, imho.

[MineralMan]

30. Thanks! And thanks for being involved!

It does make a difference.

[steve2470]

33. You nailed it, MM

Step 1: Democrats push the party to move left, demand better candidates and better messaging and policies.

Step 2: Democratic Party moves left, offers up better candidates and better messaging and policies.

Step 3: Democratic voters VOTE in high percentages, every single freaking election.

Step 4: Democratic Party wins elections.

Step 5: The country moves to the left.

This country has problems, but it's still a democracy. It takes one million or more ordinary people to equal a Koch. It CAN be done.

YMMV, I'm sure.

[MineralMan]

34. Thanks, Steve.

I spend a lot of time on DU. Way more than I spend in party politics. Even so, my participation in party politics in my own state is very important to me. From now until 2016, there won't be much to do. I'll update the precinct website from time to time. Next year, we'll have local elections and I'll be involved in that. Amazingly, I will be the only person at the 2015 precinct caucus, almost certainly and the only delegate from my precinct at the city and county conventions. The same will be true for just about every precinct, so those 70 or 80 delegates who show up will have an inordinate amount of influence on local elections. We'll be endorsing candidates, and in St. Paul, that endorsement is the same as getting the person elected.

Then, in 2016, there will be a lot more work to do. Really, it will be much like this year, since the local party organization has little to do with Presidential politics. I may go to the state convention in 2016. It should be very interesting. It will depend on my work schedule. I really don't have the chops to get elected as a delegate to the national convention, though. I couldn't afford to go, anyhow, but it would be fun to do that one year. But, I'd need to run for and get elected to our Congressional District board of directors to do that. I'm not sure I want to go that far.

[marions ghost]

37. Kinda simplistic...

What are the steps that go between Step 1 and Step 2?

"Demanding" doesn't seem to get us anywhere.

[steve2470]

44. Enough ordinary Democrats have to demand it

If only, say, 200 demand it...easy to ignore.

200,000 ? Much harder to ignore.

20,000,000 ? Getting to the point of impossibility to ignore.

Yes, of course, the people with money have ALWAYS had more power and control. That's been true since 1776 and even before. It's probably even more true today. However, we're not a dictatorship yet.

If large numbers of ordinary Democrats do not demand it, then, yea, let's just give up and welcome our Oligarch Overlords.

[Aerows]

39. Well said.

Be the change you wish to see.

[flying-skeleton]

40. Or ..... As an alternative

Move to California and support the secession from the right wing ruts !!

[MineralMan]

49. I lived in California for most of my life.

Until 2004, that was my home. My 90-year-old parents and siblings are still there. California is where I first got involved with Democratic politics, way back in the late 60s, after I got out of the USAF and moved back to CA. I spent the next 40 years in San Luis Obispo County and was involved heavily there.

[Zorra]

41. Millionaires’ Club: For First Time, Most Lawmakers are Worth $1 Million-Plus

For the first time in history, most members of Congress are millionaires, according to a new analysis of personal financial disclosure data by the Center for Responsive Politics.
snip---
Members of Congress have long been far wealthier than the typical American, but the fact that now a majority of members — albeit just a hair over 50 percent — are millionaires represents a watershed moment at a time when lawmakers are debating issues like unemployment benefits, food stamps and the minimum wage, which affect people with far fewer resources, as well as considering an overhaul of the tax code.

“Despite the fact that polls show how dissatisfied Americans are with Congress overall, there’s been no change in our appetite to elect affluent politicians to represent our concerns in Washington,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center. “Of course, it’s undeniable that in our electoral system, candidates need access to wealth to run financially viable campaigns, and the most successful fundraisers are politicians who swim in those circles to begin with.”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=post&forum=1002&pid=5775169

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a poor person to enter the kingdom of politics.

[MineralMan]

47. While that's true at that political level, it's not for

local, county and state offices. That's where I operate for the most part. We have state legislators who are teachers, auto mechanics and other things. We have city officials who have been students when first elected. A few of those may eventually go on to run for Congress, but damned few of them. Local politics also includes school board members, people who sit on advisory committees and other elected offices. Each is an important person who affects our lives as we live them on a daily basis.

The Congresswoman for our district was a school teacher when she was elected for the first time to our state legislature. Now, she's a 6-term House member. I do not know her net worth, frankly. I do know that she votes progressively, is approachable, and does a great job in Congress in representing her district.

What you say is generally true for national-level offices. They have a good deal of power and it takes a strong, expensive effort to run for those offices. That's not surprising, really. Some are millionaires, to be sure. Perhaps most. It's definitely costly to run for Congress. I'm interested in congressional elections, but only in my own district, and the local party has a great deal of power in choosing who will be running. Much more than you'd think. Our Congresswoman paid her dues by serving in our state legislature and serving her district well and truly. Pretty much as long as she runs for Congress, she'll get elected in this district with at least 60% of the vote. She's earned that.

But, my primary concern is for local and state offices. That's what matters most to me, because that's where I have the most impact. And that impact is measurable. So, I keep working at this. You may choose to do something else. I'm just saying that if you want to change the party, the best way to do that as an individual is to get involved with local Democratic politics. If you really want, you can work your way up to higher levels in the party. That doesn't really interest me. I'm happy with my current role.

[Zorra]

101. We have different ideas about what are constructive avenues for progress.

I always vote, and donate money, etc, and encourage voting; a small step forward is better than no step forward at all, and I applaud and respect the efforts of people who serve in the Democratic Party process.

My father was a local Democratic party politician. I was helping on campaigns at 7 yrs old. I sat drinking Shirley Temples and eating sardines and crackers in smoke filled bars, hearing political discussions, and arguments, from as early as I can remember. The result of all the hoopla was always that, despite all opposition, wealthy, powerful businessmen always found a way to get what they wanted, no matter how unethical, no matter what the cost to the people, or the land.

This seems to be simply how it works in most non-tribal societies; to my knowledge, no person or group has ever been successful at stopping this destructive process for any length of time.

I believe it is probable that non-violent revolution will be the catalyst for bringing about the critical changes that must be made in a relatively short span of time if my grandchildren are going to live in any kind of reasonably healthy, pleasant, environment when they grow up. This healthy environment includes reasonable prosperity, and a satisfactory state of personal and collective liberty. The political process in the US has been corrupted and compromised, beyond all possible repair, by the 1%. It is not salvageable, from its current malignant mutation, as an effective, constructive avenue for changes that are, right now, imperative for future safe and comfortable survival.

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable". - John F. Kennedy

[Rex]

45. I am getting way more involved next time around.

Driving people to the voting booth is okay, but I am going to get involved way more at the local level for 2016. The turnout numbers are depressing and it seems it will be up to US (boomers-GenX) to get this younger crowd motivated enough to put Dems back in office.

[MineralMan]

48. That's good to hear, Rex.

I'm sure you'll be welcomed and will be able to do good things.

[FSogol]

51. One thought on getting millenials on board is to trumpet our accomplishments (no matter how meager)

and to replace the whining malcontents with positive optimism. Millennials want to be part of something that matters. Bashing every elected Democrat while claiming the parties are the same because "corporations" or "money" will excite no one. Need to set legislative goals and honesty speak up why they don't get enacted. Usually the answer will be GOP obstruction or asshattedness.

[Rex]

68. We MUST get rid of the message, "both parties are the same" it is killing us.

Plus it is a huge LIE. We have great stats (IMO) and should be very proud of Obama's accomplishments. WE could and should be telling people, "stock market is at an all time high, employment is picking up and the deficit is going down" and back it up with proof (which we have). We just cannot depend on the M$M do deliver an accurate message to our potential voters - they won't and have a clear agenda (help the GOP) Comcast might as well be another GOP PAC.

I think we have some great accomplishments (thanks to the POTUS) that would energize the base - we just need to find a way to get that message out, without the interference from the M$M.

How to do that, is where I am stumped.

[FSogol]

69. Whatever we do needs to be bathed in optimism and a "can do" atttitude.

All of the negative nellies, Eeyores, and malcontents need to be ignored. It takes gumption to do the right thing. It takes no effort to whine on a daily basis.

[randys1]

54. EXCELLENT post...

I wish I knew the trick to get the 20 somethings excited and involved, maybe in the cities they are?

But it is that freaking simple, hell many in the god damn TEAPARTY want to address income inequality, imagine how easy it should be to get the youth involved with that.

[MineralMan]

60. I don't know how, either.

At the precinct level, there are very few in that age group in my working class residential neighborhood. Within the city of St. Paul, though, we have 15 colleges and universities. Energizing that group is tough. In 2008 we did it, or Obama did it, I guess. In mid-term elections, we don't have much luck. A lot of those folks will be moving on to some other place, and may not care about local politics. I don't know.

I think we need to do a better job of making elections relevant to millennials. I think we need to be talking a lot more about issues that are more specific to that age group, frankly. We don't have the Vietnam War to get people involved. We can't promise that the economy will reward them with better paying jobs, because that's not within our power. In 2012, we turned them out, because there was an anti-marriage equality amendment on the ballot. In 2008 we turned them out to vote for Obama. In 2010 and 2014, there wasn't anything striking we could use to energize that demographic.

In 2016, I'm hopeful that we'll have some issues that are current and that affect that age group in serious, resolvable ways. The issues are always there, but having some way to resolve them isn't always there. It wasn't in 2014, so they stayed home and didn't turn out to vote.

[Chathamization]

78. Spreading the word can work well. Chances are, you know someone who shares your

political beliefs but who might not bother voting or isn't terribly knowledgable about certain races. I got a good response this time around from just reaching out to those around me.

Having ongoing campaigns help as well. We usually have a number of progressive pushes each year (ballot initiatives, progressive candidates, issues we're trying to get passed), and each time we connect with more first time activists that we reach out to going forward (well, I say we, but it's really a handful of wonderful local super-activists). Of course, not all of them can work on every issue, but the network gets larger.

Another thing that I try to do that _hopefully_ help is to try talking to everyone and to actually engage individuals beyond just the immediate issue. A lot of people just think everything is rigged and people are completely powerless (you hear that sentiment a lot here). It's learned helplessness, and it's what the powers that be want. They don't need to rig elections when people themselves don't bother to vote. Showing people that there are others out there trying to make a difference and fight for them seems to get at least some people to think that they should get more involved as well.

[JoePhilly]

73. Find the best Dem you can in every election ... support them.

Keep adding Dems to government at all levels.

Keep pushing and promoting the best ones forward. Help them move left by surrounding them with more dems.

Focus on removing Republicans everywhere you can.

And stop the endless infighting, it doesn't work.

[MineralMan]

80. Agreed.

[Odin2005]

76. Eventually you will be corrupted by the need for donations and will be assimilated...

...into the Corporate Establishment.

[MineralMan]

82. Me? No. They don't care about me in any way.

You, either.

[fredamae]

77. When I became

active in my local Dem Party-what I found to my surprise And delight was a room full of other PO'd Dems....we need more folks and their friends and family to show up...they say half the battle is Being "there".
We don't have time to mull this over...2016 isn't that far away in "political time".

[MineralMan]

81. Yes. Exactly.

[99Forever]

84. Been there, done that.

The entrenched PTB make sure no one upsets their self-serving game. As George Carlin said so well, "It's big fucking club and you aren't a member."

[MineralMan]

87. Not at the local level, which is what I'm about.

You're incorrect.

[99Forever]

104. Thanks for explaining my real world experience to me.

Because clearly, you know more about what happened in my life than I do.

[BubbaFett]

114. yeah, you can stuff envelopes

and "work your way up."

[MineralMan]

115. You're way off base. If you like stuffing

envelopes, you can do that, I guess. But they'd much rather use your individual talents more effectively. It sounds to me like you haven't really gotten that involved. Figure out what you'd like to do and offer to do that. That's my advice.

[BubbaFett]

116. What I'd like to do?

Have a 40 hour per week job, rather than a 60+ hour per week job.

But, I'd rather have more work than less, so you won't catch me complaining (too much).

It sure would be nice to have enough leisure time to do what you suggest.

Are you retired or something?

[MineralMan]

117. No, I'm not retired. I'm 69 years old, and my

retirement savings were destroyed by GWB. I'm still working, about half time. What I do pays well, my wife works, and we live frugally. I'll be working until I drop dead.

I use my free time the way I want to use it.

[FrodosPet]

88. Politics, by its nature, is authoritarian

Why in the world should anti-authoritarians want to opt into a system with "leaders"? Wasn't the whole goal of Occupy to get rid of leaders and work through consensus? TRUE democracy would be one person, one vote. Every bill, every law, presented directly to the general population for approval or denial, as opposed to "representatives" who only represent a few people.

Congressmen, Senators, even precinct delegates - it is all just a continuation of what Occupy is working against.

[csziggy]

95. Thank you, MM! You've given me a goal

My husband is retiring the end of the year and I'm going to get him to go to the local Democratic Executive Committee meetings with me. Since he's even more liberal than I am, if we get active locally, maybe we can make a difference. I've been looking for something for us to do together other than hiking and bird watching - I think he'll enjoy it!


Thank you for the inspiration!

[MineralMan]

106. Great idea! There's lots of work to do.

[whereisjustice]

98. I remember as a local delegate for Obama in 2008 I offered

a platform position that Bush and Cheney should be investigated for war crimes Our precinct leader refused to record it.

It didn't get any easier as there were constant considerations of losing corporate sponsorship and upsetting rich and influential people.

So, it isn't that freaking simple.

And now, even local candidate elections are pushing close to $1,000,000.

There is a conservative core that has infected the Democratic Party. And they run it like a corporation, profit and loss.

I'm not saying you shouldn't get involved, but don't make it sound like it's easy.

If you are a corporatist or Republican scared off by tea party Democratic leadership is quite happy to have you.

If you advocate for strong regulations on banking, anti-war etc, you are going to hit a brick wall.

If the Democratic Party wanted liberals to get involved they would make that known. Dean made it known, and I worked largely because his plan made sense, I felt valued and it worked.

But as soon as the election was over, DNC blew up the grass roots foundations and OFA became this bullshit police force making sure liberals didn't get out of hand.

But, then again, I'm not in a "battleground" state. DNC doesn't really give a shit what happens here.

[JI7]

100. being a delegate isn't like being an elected official. and party platforms aren't actual bills

[whereisjustice]

102. no shit, the precinct leader IS REQUIRED to collect all resolutions and is

not allowed to pick and choose.

NOT ALLOWED

[Chathamization]

99. Yes, politics is not a spectator sport. The candidate we get is the one we choose in the primary.

Which candidates decide to run in a particular primary often is based who we chose at the level below it, and what power structures (local party organizations, unions, advocacy groups, etc.) exist. Running a campaign is helluva hard work, and if local progressives aren't organizing, aren't paying attention, and aren't voting, a lot of potential candidates aren't going to waste a year of their life when the support just isn't there.

Of course, there are plenty of options other than working within the party. There have been attempts at that before here, and many aren't sure if it's worth the effort. A big push was made this past spring by a slate of reform candidates trying to win positions in the state committee; the election was ignored by just about everyone, and the reformers were trounced by a group that had previously broken their own bylaws and stayed in power two years after their term was up.

Here, at least, it seems that ballot initiatives, advocacy groups, volunteering directly for certain candidates, etc., work better than trying to work within the state committee. But different places have different political realities.

[Hekate]

103. MinMan, you are a voice of sanity and reason, backed by a wealth of experience.

Thank you for all you do.

And I hope to goodness that at least some of the whinging masses here implements your advice.

[MineralMan]

107. Several people in this thread have indicated that they will

be more active. That's terrific!

[treestar]

105. Yes. Instead of standing at sidelines criticizing, you have to play

Get out in the field.

Those who are out there aren't going to obey the commands of people on the sidelines. When you are involved, you don't think they are the ones who know what is best to do.

[MineralMan]

108. Well, there's a lot of rationalizing about why not to

be part of local party organizations. It's interesting to see. I can't imagine any good argument against being a participant in the process. I've certainly never seen a good argument. I doubt I ever will. Many people don't have time. That's the only good argument I can find.

[zipplewrath]

111. It's a waste of time?

Find a candidate you want to support and do so. But if you don't have the resources to compete with the larger forces, don't be surprised when you get dumped really early in terms of influence. I know several politicians. I have a local city commissioner that is very responsive. Throw a block party or neighborhood thing and she'll probably make an appearance. I approached her about running at the state level.

No way no how. There was no point without "making peace" as she called it with Big Sugar, the Power industry, and strangely, the bottled water industry. This is a VERY big state. Little fish need not apply.

[BootinUp]

110. Sounds like hard work MM lol.

Fuck.

[loyalsister]

118. And, run for office!!

Everything down to neighborhood associations. If you're worried about elections, run for county clerk. There are dozens of county and municipal level elected positions.
There are also advisory boards at all government levels. It is worthwhile to work to fill them with progressives who will have government experience on their resume when they are ready to run for office.

[MineralMan]

119. Good suggestion.